Watching the Show
by trycee
Summary: Skinner's Point of View on Mulder's and Scully's Relationship.


Watching the Show

by Trycee

Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Files, its owned by Chris Carter and Fox. This is written for fun not profit.

Time Frame: Full Span from the Pilot to IWTB.

Skinners Point of View on Mulder's and Scully's relationship throughout the years...

How many times had I been pulled into a meeting with my superiors asking me if there was any truth to the rumors about those two...Did I think they would comprise their partnership if it were true...should I split them up? I can't even remember how many times...year after year I had to defend them...I mean, it was pretty damn obvious from the beginning that they were attracted to each other...I wasn't even directly over them then but I could see it. And then when they were assigned to me I had a front row view of the show...there was rumors back then, mostly the other agents questioning if they had a shot with Scully. But almost right away they picked up that there was something between those two and started calling her Mrs. Spooky. And then when Scully went missing, Mulder damn-near needed to be medicated! I've had agents whose partners were missing before and they never acted the way these two did when the other was missing...of course the other agents usually had a spouse to go home too...these two didn't...two single, attractive agents... it was just a matter of time...

There were bets on them for years...but I knew the signs and so whenever I was called in to answer whether I thought they were violating the FBI's policy on fraternization, I would tell them no, they weren't violating any such policy. I knew they were both principled, especially Agent Scully. I've seen her fend off Mulder's innuendo's for years when he thought no one could hear him. She didn't waiver and he never crossed the line. I respected them both in different ways...I knew the signs and so I truthfully told them that no, they weren't dating. I've been married before, I know the looks, the touches...and I knew the difference or intensity in them when it became...'physical'. I knew that had taken years for them, despite all the rumors...I mean, the looks alone they gave each other was enough to elicit rumors but then there was the touching, the late nights at each other's places, answering each other's phones, and the deep connection between them that was beyond 'partners'. I've had male and female agents under me for many years that were romantically inclined but never to this degree. Mulder without Scully was almost catatonic...I never saw an agent fall apart the way he did. He was absolutely useless without her. Every time she ended up missing I worried that I was not making the right decision in keeping them together...but when he was with her I knew I had a fully functioning agent that was determined and gave me results. His record with her was impressive! She made Mulder bearable. Mulder was much more emotional than she was, she always kept it in but I saw her lose it when she was worried about Mulder or he was missing too just in a more contained way...but she did lose it like when she blew off our undercover operation when she thought he was in danger or when she barged into my office demanding that I find him or I found her sitting at her desk staring off into space...it worried me for sure...together they're arrest record made up for whatever eccentricities Mulder had that made my bosses want to shut the X-Files down more times than Mulder or Scully even knew. I would always show them they're arrest record and that would quelch any protest. I always kept a watch on them...

There were a few times I had worried that they're work might be compromised because of their unspoken desires for each other. I worried that the tension might interfere with their work and get one of them hurt or even killed...I mean look at the way Scully blew off that surveillance or Mulder put himself in danger trying to find her...I swear they didn't even know they were in love with each other for years. I'd see a glance, a motion, a touch and I'd think...how do I explain this away? I knew right away when they finally 'did the deed', they became quiet, nervous around me, and I'd even saw them kissing a few times in the office when they didn't know I was there to give them a file... I'd always turn around and come back a few minutes later. I knew Mulder was possessive of Scully in a gentle way but I didn't expect him to react like he did when my buddy had fictional Scully fall in love with me in the movie he produced. It was just a joke...thats why I sent them off with a bureau credit card...I'm not a complete hard-ass I have a sense of humor that isn't always recognized since I'm the Assistant Director but I didn't expect him to jump up and walk out...He didn't have anything to worry about...I thought of Scully as a daughter.

But when Mulder was taken by the spaceship, I wasn't as surprised as you would think when Scully told me she was pregnant, I knew it was Mulders, no doubt in my mind...they were still pretending to me and everyone else that they were just 'partners'-_Who are they fooling? _I rarely saw Agent Scully cry after all the years I worked with her but when Mulder went missing, I saw her cry more than ever...part of it I knew was pregnancy hormones but part of it was anguish, pure anguish. She and Mulder had insulated themselves and so she was suddenly left without him...I worried she wouldn't be able to function but to my surprise and concern...she returned immediately to work, her solution to any trauma in her life...work. I also saw Doggett was smitten by her...and I knew that would never happen...I almost wanted to pull him aside and tell him but that wasn't my place. But to his credit he still wanted to protect her even when he knew she was pregnant...And when Mulder was found dead it nearly made my heart collapse to see her reaction...its amazing to me now how everyone treated her...like his widow...everyone knew what she was too him...purely obvious.

I didn't worry about her as much with Doggett there. He stepped in and took care of her whether she recognized it or not, I wonder if he thought she'd love him back? When Mulder was returned I could see he figured it out pretty quickly who she was in love with. When Mulder was returned I was very relieved for her and the baby...I mean...she tried to soldier on for the baby's sake but she wasn't herself without him. But I saw the hurt in her eyes when he seemed distant about the baby. I remember standing in his living room and I got a glimpse of their 'private' relationship when I tried explaining to Mulder Kersch was out to get him. I saw the fear in her eyes but I knew Mulder was Mulder, theres not much any of us could ever do about that. When I confronted him about being the father and he was elusive, I wanted to smack him, _I already know you're the father_...but he just told me it was her business...they played the 'partner' thing up until the baby was born, even though he was going with her to lamaze and worried about 'her' baby..._Who are you fooling, really? _

After William was born they stopped pretending...finally, but I worried about her being alone with the baby but something had changed in her...I guess being a mom does that and though she missed Mulder terribly she had the baby to worry about and when she was forced to give him up, she did as she always did, throw herself into work...working more then she had in years...so when Mulder was arrested and I saw them kiss...I could've skipped seeing that personally, after all I was there boss...I don't even think they knew I was in the room but anyway...I knew she would be alright even if she had to visit him through bars... but then when they came up with that ludicrous verdict, I knew she wouldn't make it long if he died...thats why I had Doggett help me get him out of prison...they contacted me when they got settled...when they stopped running. I made sure Scully's record was clear though I couldn't do anything about Mulder's...I knew Scully was a doctor and Mulder lived with her and I made sure they weren't actually going to pick him up any time soon, I did my best to squash any mention of it...But I knew it was a matter of time before I got a phone call from them...Scully needed to find Mulder...I grabbed my keys and picked her up...I tried consoling her...after all these years would he still put himself in danger for the truth? Of course he would! Mulder was surprised to see me hovering over him...How many times had we'd been in that situation? Well they were free now, Mulder didn't have to hide anymore...I hugged them both before parting and I know its just a matter of time before those two call me again...I still keep my phone close...


End file.
